Wounded
by Tonks32
Summary: A little side story of my Rogue Warden Kahlan Cousland and her adventures. What if Alistair was wounded in battle? How will Kahlan react given her close nature to the male Warden.


**My first dragon age piece. I think I'm going to be doing collective of single stories about the adventures of my warden (Kahlan Cousland whom is a rouge) and her companions, but mostly about her relationship with the very witty Alistair over the course of the game. This scene of course isn't in the game, but I could see something like this happening. Also this collection of stories aren't going to be published in any order but they will belong to the same playthrough. I'm just seem to be writing different scenes as they come. This takes place after you battle Flemth the dragon. Enjoy! Again had to leave some of the little remarks that the beta reader left, they gave me a good chuckle! Thank you swartzvald for looking at this and well you were a co-writer on this one since it was so rough. **

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Upon the urging of Wynne, Kahlan slipped from her tent to find an eerie silence had fallen over the rest of her companions. Leliana was sitting against one of the logs they used for benches, her face grim and pale. It was a startleing contrast from her usual happy-go-lucky self. All she did was stare blankly into the fire while mindless scratching Clover's head as if reassuring the hound. Oghren was sitting just near the edge of the fire looking very uncomfortable. Zevran, she found, after a bit of searching, was walking around the edge of the camp taking it upon himself to keep watch.

In the lingering silence it occurred to Kahlan just how much close the small group had become. They were scared down to the bone at just the thought of losing a member. Hearing the Ex-Templar's harsh cries, Kahlan stole away from the camp needing some time alone to gather her wits. She managed to make it to the riverbank before her trembling legs gave out on her.

Andraste's flaming sword! How was she supposed to get through this without him? How had he invaded her heart so quickly? Falling in love wasn't really high on her lists of things to do, what with the long battles and possible death. She knew from the start it would just complicate things. She should have found the strength to put a stop to all the seemingly harmless flirting. Now there was no going back she was too far in love to see any type of future without him.

"Kahlan." Leliana knelt down beside the warden and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. The shoe lover's own heart broke when she felt her friend shudder with silent sobs. Gone was the fearless warden and leader. For the first time since their journey began Kahlan was simply a woman at wits end and terrified by the uncertainty of life. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't keep the walls she built around her emotions standing, the thought of losing Alitair was all it took to bring them crashing down.

"I can't lose him." The warden softly sobbed, "I just- I can't do this."

"Wynne says he's a fighter and you know she wouldn't lie to you." Leilianna tried to reassure her.

"It was because of what he feels for me that he did something so stupid," Closing her eyes, Kahlan could see the talons of the dragon swooping down,(Yes,swooping is BAD) tearing Alistair's armor as if it was paper. "If it costs him his life I will never be able to forgive myself. I should have put a stop to it. I knew it was just going to be a distraction."

"No I think it's made the two of you stronger." Leliana had watched them both closely over the last few weeks and was pleased to see such changes. It wasn't just in combat but in every day life. In the beginning neither allowed themselves moments of happiness. Even in camp they always seemed to be on guard, waiting for an attack. As they spent more time together they began to relax and took time to just take a break from all the fighting. Being a warden called for great responsibility and sacrifices, if anything they were allowed to be selfish in some areas. "You both have become so in tune with each other that you can sense each other's movement in battle, protecting not just yourselves, but the rest of the party as well. You two bring out the best of each other. He knows that when it comes down to it that it's the wardens who will lead us to victory over the Blight."

"He's a warden. He could end it just as well as me."

"You know Alistair, Maker love him, but even he has said on many occasions that he's not cut out to be a leader. I mean if he leads now after everything we've been through I expect we won't lose our pants, but it won't be with the same confidence and certainty you have. I know that it's been written that it is you, My friend, that will be the one to rally the forces we need to defeat the darkspawn." Not that the Rouge didn't have faith in Alistair there was just something special about Kahlan drew people to her as a leader, she rallied the people without so much as a lift of a hand to join her side in the blight.

"We need you. All of us. Not to be just a leader, but you've become important to all of us. We've all become like a family Kahlan." The Bard helped the warden settle upright, "Being a warden calls for great sacrifices, but you and Alistair both have given up so much more. We have all become close, but when it comes down to it, all you and Alister have is each other. I think that after what's been taken from you, you deserve to be selfish. I just know that with your short life ahead you should take every opportunity that comes your way. If it means loving in the middle of war, then so be it!" Kahlan knew that what Lelianna was saying was right. As a warden she had just a short 35 years left to live. Since birth she had been eating responsibility for breakfast and duty for dinner. She always did what was right and never took the time to do anything for herself. It was one the reason she fought off the suitors her mother kept bringing home. She wanted to find love on her own so she knew that it was her choice.

"I didn't know this was going to happen. I never thought I could love anyone so much. I would rather die then even think of a life without him." Just knowing that she could feel so much so quickly scared her slightly.

"You won't lose him. _At least not yet_, Leliana silently added. No one knew what lay ahead for any of them. They still had one more treaty to take care of and an arch demon to slay. Who was to say it was their destiny to make it through it?

"Now let's get back so we can wait together. Family should always wait with each other." Family was something she wasn't sure she could be apart of again. After losing her own so horribly she meant to disallow herself from feeling strongly towards anyone ever again. Yet some how each member of the group, even the bitch of the wild as Alistair would put it, had invaded her defenses and became her new family.

"I don't want them to see me like this." She glanced up, seeing that Lelianna understood.

"I'll be there in a moment." said Kahlan, trying to recover her composure.

"She's right you know." Morrigan's voice broke through the darkness.

Kahlan glanced up at the mage then back at the tent, "is something wrong? Why aren't you in there with Wynne?"

Morrigan held up a reassuring hand, "It's okay. We've done what we could. The wounds have healed, but he's resisting the magic so he will need to give his body a few days to rest." The scantily clad witch watched the Warden's face flood with relief and felt a twinge of jealousy. Had she ever felt the way Kahlan did about Alistair towards anyone in her life? Even her mother? So much inside her had changed in the last few months, some of things she wasn't happy about. For one she actually was worried there for a while about the babbling ex-Templar.

"She's just finishing up, you may want to wait just a while longer before you go."

Taking a deep breath, Kahlan swiped at her tears and pulled herself back together. "You said she was right." Through the darkness she could see the mage lowering herself to sit on the grass. "About what?"

"You shouldn't deny yourself love, even if it is with an idiot."

"Morrigan." Kahlan's voice held a warning. She had very little patience for her right now.

"I know, it's a defense tactic," Morrigan gulped and steadied herself, "It's my fault that he's injured in the first place. I asked you to take care of Felmeth and if I had known what would happen I wouldn't have sent you. Though it might not seem like it, I do consider you all my friends. Even Alistair. Well not a friend, exactly..." she started over. "He's become a lot more tolerable since you two, well, you know. But please don't tell him I said such thing, he will never let me hear the end of it. "

A sly smile crossed the warden's face, "No such luck, Friend."

Morrigan ran a hand through her ink jet hair on a sigh, "Knew that was coming. Anyways, I envy what you have." There she actually said it. "You know what lays ahead of you. You've suffered a great deal, and you refused to let it change who you are or shape your life. Duty and death is all you've known and will ever know and somehow in the midst of that you found love. A Love that will never fade. You cherish each moment you have because you know things won't last because of your shortened life. It just makes me realize that everyone should do such things because life is too short to simply wait. So don't think that your loving him is wrong. It's shows us all that something beautiful can be found in the midst of chaos and strife." Kahlan let Morrigan stride away. Leaving the red head Warden at a loss for words.

Her love with Alistair was giving them all hope. It was unexpected, but somehow thrilling to know.

Wynne was cleaning her hands of the warden's blood when the tent flap was pull back, "I gave him a sleeping drought." She explained to Kahlan watching the young woman's gaze go straight for Alistair. It warmed her heart to see such emotions in it.

"He will be out for the night and will need to rest for the next few days. When he's awake maybe I can heal him more. I think it's a Templar defense to block out magic."

He looked so pale. Kahlan had to concentrate to even see his chest move in the dim lighting. Dressed in only his britches, Alistair laid on the bedroll with bandages covering his entire upper body. Blood was already seeping through but she took Wynne at her word that it was normal seeing how the wounds were not completely healed.

"I didn't think it was his possible for his hair to look like this." Half smiling, she knelt down beside him to run her fingers through his mused hair. It was soaked with sweat and fell flat over his brow.

"I figured he woke with it all styled." Wynne chuckled, "You should sleep, he won't wake till morning. I promise you."

"I'd rather stay here in any case."

"Have you told him your feelings?"

"Not all of them, which is going to change when he wakes up." She promised.

"Good. Now I must rest to restore my energy." Wynne briefly touched the female warden's shoulder and left them alone.

Some time in the late hours of the night, Just before sleep overtook her mind, Khalen realized they were right. If they lost Alistair they would lose her too. He was the last thing in her life worth fighting for. Even the Maker couldn't keep them apart. So much had already been taken from her.

"I love you." She whispered the words and dropped into a dreamless sleep. The following morning, Kahlan woke to male voices.

"Shh," Alistair's voice hissed, "don't wake her."

"Will you just be quiet and drink this." Zevran softly demanded and with great effort helped him sit up.

"Maker's breath!" Alistair bit back another curse as his chest began to burn with unimaginable pain.

Fully awake now, Kahlan scrambled to his side, "Do I need to get Wynne? Zevran, should you be even moving him?"

"Easy now, my lovely Warden." He purposely used the term to watch Alistair's eyes heat with annoyance. It was a great way to pass the time and Alistair was such an easy target.

"She's still drained and asked me to bring this drought to him the moment he wakes. And if he let me explain instead of cursing at me, he would know it's suppose to help with the pain."

Alistair glared at the man and snatched the vial, "You could have told me that before, but no you were too busy trying to get a rise out of me."

"It's not that hard to do." Zevran assured, "when you're looking at Kahlan like a love struck puppy."

The male Warden downed the vial, "Out!"

The rouge simply bowed but lingered for a moment longer, "It's good to know you're hair wasn't permanently stuck like it was before. You're more appealing this way. Say if it doesn't work out-."

"Out!" This time it came from Kahlan. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Alistair. Thankfully whatever the drought was brought some color back into his face. Or it was Zevran's teasing, it was hard to tell.

"I'm glad to see you bounce back so quickly."

"Were you worried?" A smile tugged at his lips, "why you were! I guess my pretty hair, handsome face, and witty one-liners seem to have worked. I now have you under my spell."

She closed her eyes to trap her tears as he continued to babble in his charming fashion. All the fears of loosing him through the night just melted away.

"I love you." She whispered causing Alistair to freeze mid sentence with a strange look on his face. "I should have told you before this, but I thought... well it doesn't matter what I thought. I love you."

The Ex-Templar's eyes lit up as he reached a hand to his face to flick her tears away. "I love you too." He whispered brining her mouth to his. It took all his will power to keep it sort and gentle. He didn't want to do anything that would bring the wrath of Wynne on him. "I seem to think I've loved you all my life. I was beginning to become impatient waiting for you to catch up."

Kahlan laughed resting her brow to his, "No more wasting time. We have so little time together that I will take each moment I get."

"Then marry me." The question just rolled off his tongue almost making him curse. He wanted her to be his wife from this moment and until the end of time. In this world in the next he wanted to call her wife and spend every waking moment loving her. Alistair at least wished he had a ring or something more to offer. "I know I'm a babbling Idiot most of the time but by the Maker no man alive will ever love you as much as I do. You're everything for me. I knew it the moment I saw you. You're my life Kahlan, my only reason to survive this blight. When I look ahead I see only you and cheese of course."

Kahlan let out a soft bark of laughter. Leave it to Alistair to add such a thing to something that was suppose to be romantic.

Alistair gave her a goofy grin, "You're right we don't have much time and we may not make it through this battle. Thought with you and cheese in my future I'll do my damnest to see it through. But whatever out fate may be I want to be your husband. I want to die knowing I've loved you with all might heart."

"Yes." There was no hesitation. For the first time in her life Kahlan was actually certain about something. There was no one else for her except Alistair. For some odd reason, he had picked her. Why she didn't know or would question. He loved her and that good enough for her. "By the Maker yes!"

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**Of course this alters the course of the game ever so slightly. Bu since we all know what happens in the game i didn't want it to be just another copy, so I changed it! I know it's short! I wanted to have a few of the companions to voice their true opinion on their relationship though I did enjoy the teasing they got greatly in the game. Epically Wynne talking to Alistair about where babies came from. I nearly feel out of my chair laughing so hard.**


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